Amazon exiles discussion
Trackless wastes
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Today, I shall mostly be...
nocheese wrote: "Looks a bit like Russian Vine, Gordon, although I've never seen one with purple flowers."My mum had a Russian Vine called Boris. It grew round the dining-room window and blackbirds nested in it every year. It had white flowers and I remember the leaves being that shape but smaller (?)
Isabella wrote: "Looks like honesty, lunaria annua. It has round silvery seedpods that are used for decoration."Think you're right Isabella.
nocheese wrote: "Isabella wrote: "Looks like honesty, lunaria annua. It has round silvery seedpods that are used for decoration."Think you're right Isabella."
https://youtu.be/WKc2zwT4Emk
Gordon wrote: "Any gardeners know what this is? It's growing wild in my garden."It looks like Honesty to me, Gordon.
Oops, just seen Isabella's post. :-)
You're right, Isabella. It is honesty. I get the seed pods. I hadn't twigged that they're on the same plant.Thank you.
Gordon wrote: "You're right, Isabella. It is honesty. I get the seed pods. I hadn't twigged that they're on the same plant.Thank you."
You're welcome. It's one of my favourite spring plants. :o)
Gordon wrote: "Any gardeners know what this is? It's growing wild in my garden.PS - sorry to hear you're having health issues. Are you somewhere really remote in Ireland or do you have reasonable access to heal..."
I've got something similiar in my garden. Dunno what it's called, but mum says it's a weed....but one that produces those cute little purple flowers. We're leaving ours where it is, nessled amongst the Hyacinths, white and pink 'bluebells' and what's left of the daffs. It's very pretty all those colours! :)
A weed is in the eye of the gardener...
Today I thought the internet is finally going to break! Term 3 began yesterday and most students are now learning online. (Schools are open to cater for the children of essential workers and most are recording total attendance in single figures.) Retrieving email and placing online orders seemed to take forever.
Val wrote: "Today I thought the internet is finally going to break! Term 3 began yesterday and most students are now learning online. (Schools are open to cater for the children of essential workers and most a..."Yes they're all it, my 2 that're school age are accessing daily online work, they're actually hungry for it and enjoying it.
Isabella wrote: "A weed is in the eye of the gardener..."Not many weeds in peoples gardens this year, this might just be the best year for well presented tended gardens we've ever known. As well as every shed and fence repainted, every small mending job no longer put off.
Has anyone else noticed there seem to be many more birds around? Here there are lots of flocks of spadgers, jackdaws and assorted tits (leave it, BN) flying up, down and across the trafficless road. It’s lovely to hear them too, rather than the motorway.
Yes, Lez, the noise in the Back Garden is SO loud what with all of the singing going on ;o>
Lez wrote: "Has anyone else noticed there seem to be many more birds around? Here there are lots of flocks of spadgers, jackdaws and assorted tits (leave it, BN) flying up, down and across the trafficless road..."Birds I've rarely/never seen here - buzzard (not for years), green woodpecker, sandpiper (never) - I guess they'll disappear again once the hordes are out...
There's hardly any activity on the river but the roads are full of cyclists and pedestrians rather than cars, not that it's exactly jammed with traffic at its busiest, except for rush hour. Most cyclists are fine but for the few who seem to be training for the Tour de France. One enthusiast over the river comes out in the evening to drive some kind of souped-up car, with an extremely (illegally?) loud engine that backfires a lot. It actually seemed to set off an alarm on Sunday.
Just thought I'd share this with everyone, a BBC weather forecaster, Owain Wyn Evans, making a thunderous noise.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IZHD...
Ohhh that's brilliant, Nick! ;o> ... I love how we are starting to get to know a lot of far more interesting things about folk who we've only ever just seen in their professional roles until now ... what a talent!
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Ohhh that's brilliant, Nick! ;o> ... I love how we are starting to get to know a lot of far more interesting things about folk who we've only ever just seen in their professional roles until now ....."Not to mention public figures' dodgy décor choices as they participate from home. Keir Starmer's attic is particularly spartan and Cathy Newman's (C4 news) wallpaper is awful.
HA HA HA HA HA!!! I don't watch the News so I wouldn't know, Mr B ;o>
TheFoe wrote: "Just thought I'd share this with everyone, a BBC weather forecaster, Owain Wyn Evans, making a thunderous noise.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IZHD..."
There’s something odd about it. The trees aren’t moving!
Lez wrote: "TheFoe wrote: "Just thought I'd share this with everyone, a BBC weather forecaster, Owain Wyn Evans, making a thunderous noise.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IZHD..."
There’s something odd ..."
Trust you to notice that! :-)
Lez wrote: "Has anyone else noticed there seem to be many more birds around? Here there are lots of flocks of spadgers, jackdaws and assorted tits (leave it, BN) flying up, down and across the trafficless road..."
The numbers of Sparrows, Blackbirds, Starlings, Collared Doves and Pigeons are about the same in our garden, but we do have the addition of a pair of Mistle Thrushes who have been putting in a daily appearance for the past week.
Getting to see some different birds when out on my daily bike ride - Goldfinches, a Green Woodpecker and even a Barn Owl who seems to like being out of an afternoon. The other day, I saw a bird of prey that I didn't recognise - it was about Buzzard-sized but had a white and grey plumage.
The numbers of Sparrows, Blackbirds, Starlings, Collared Doves and Pigeons are about the same in our garden, but we do have the addition of a pair of Mistle Thrushes who have been putting in a daily appearance for the past week.
Getting to see some different birds when out on my daily bike ride - Goldfinches, a Green Woodpecker and even a Barn Owl who seems to like being out of an afternoon. The other day, I saw a bird of prey that I didn't recognise - it was about Buzzard-sized but had a white and grey plumage.
Lez wrote: "Has anyone else noticed there seem to be many more birds around? Here there are lots of flocks of spadgers, jackdaws and assorted tits (leave it, BN) flying up, down and across the trafficless road..."Just exactly the same as always up here. The only different thing I've noticed is rabbits happily sat in the middle of the village roads.
Anyway, yet another exciting day today. I shall mostly be wearing an eyeshadow called "password". That must be an exciting job, eyeshadow namer.
Lez wrote: "TheFoe wrote: "Just thought I'd share this with everyone, a BBC weather forecaster, Owain Wyn Evans, making a thunderous noise.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IZHD..."
There’s something odd ..."
If you look closely, Lez, they are being blown slightly by a breeze.
TheFoe wrote: "Just thought I'd share this with everyone, a BBC weather forecaster, Owain Wyn Evans, making a thunderous noise.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IZHD..."
Fantastic! Would that news bulletins, breakfast TV, current affairs, etc always contained more of the human element!
Lez wrote: "There’s something odd about it. The trees aren’t moving! ..."Looks like a monkey puzzle tree to me and I think there is a slight movement there.
Val wrote: "Lez wrote: "There’s something odd about it. The trees aren’t moving! ..."Looks like a monkey puzzle tree to me and I think there is a slight movement there."
Yep, Araucaria waving a tentacle.
Today, it seems, I shall mostly be watching the same pair of pigeons fighting with each other.
Gordon, you need to lay odds and a time limit.
Gordon wrote: "Today, it seems, I shall mostly be watching the same pair of pigeons fighting with each other."Makes a change from mostly watching the same pair of Pigeons getting frisky with each other ... (*giggles*) ... do you want to swap Window views with me, Gordon?
Serial wrote: "Isabella wrote: "A weed is in the eye of the gardener..."Not many weeds in peoples gardens this year, this might just be the best year for well presented tended gardens we've ever known. As well ..."
oh i dunno.....me lawn is currently sporting a yellow Polka dot look atm, on account of the plague of dandelions on it. I haven't seen that many on my lawn before.....but at least they're colourful.
TheFoe wrote: "Just thought I'd share this with everyone, a BBC weather forecaster, Owain Wyn Evans, making a thunderous noise.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IZHD..."
That's brilliant! Love a good skin jamming! :)
theDuke wrote: "Serial wrote: "Isabella wrote: "A weed is in the eye of the gardener..."Not many weeds in peoples gardens this year, this might just be the best year for well presented tended gardens we've ever ..."
Dandelions are a blessing for the Bees
I’ve read and heard many times that bees love dandelions but I never see any on mine. Also, bees as we know, love pollen, but dandelions propagate by spores.https://youtu.be/2gYkk9Rb5-M
"No one should feel ashamed of dandelions growing on their lawns, a leading ecologist has said.Instead, the sight of dandelions blooming on lawns and verges should be a sign that the householder is helping the survival of Ireland's endangered bumblebees and wild solitary bees.
"People are asked to delay mowing their lawns until mid-April so that dandelions get a chance to bloom," said Dr Una FitzPatrick.
"Ireland's wild bees are in decline because they are going hungry because of a lack of food in the landscape. Dandelions are a superfood for bees," said Dr FitzPatrick, senior ecologist at the National Biodiversity Data Centre in Waterford.
"Letting dandelions grow must not be seen as a sign of neglect or laziness.
"We want it to be a conscious decision of people to let them grow to give hungry bees a chance to feed on them," she said.
Those people who worry what neighbours might think of their dandelions could explain to them that it helps bumblebees.
Dr FitzPatrick told the Sunday Independent the decisions of people to manicure and tidy their lawns in springtime, before the dandelions get a chance to bloom, is tough on bumblebees and other wild bees."
https://www.independent.ie/life/leave...
Isn’t it strange? Must depend on location, what type of bees you have. I have lots of lavender always covered in bees, they love the roses too.
Lez wrote: "Isn’t it strange? Must depend on location, what type of bees you have. I have lots of lavender always covered in bees, they love the roses too."I have lots of Poached Egg plants, the Bees and Hover Flies go crazy for them, they also really like the Chives when they flower.
I love Lavender but struggle to grow it, it usually dies over the wet wintertime.
Dandelions are pollinated by insects, including bees, and also by wind. I've seen lots of bees on dandelions, admittedly not in the numbers that throng my lavender, but then there are a lot more dandelions around.
Lez wrote: "Isn’t it strange? Must depend on location, what type of bees you have. I have lots of lavender always covered in bees, they love the roses too."Our daughter planted a lavender hedge by the front drive. When it flowers it's so covered in bees, we have to put the bins out on the other side of the drive so as not to upset the bin men.
Re: dandelions - ditto what Serial & nocheese said.Dandelion is just a common name for over 200 microspecies of Taraxacum found in the UK. V difficult to tell them apart/identify some of them. They are a foodplant for many insects not just bees (hoverflies, moths & butterflies too), as are many other "weeds". (Eg. Nettles and Bird’s-foot-trefoil are just two that are good general host plants for different stages of butterfly & moth life cycles.)
Please try not to use pesticides.
Please try not to use peat based compost.
Anyway, today I will mostly be frustrated that my digital signal is doing weird things. TV & radio all glitchy. Radio v important. Grrr.
Like Lez I've never noticed any bees (we don't have bumblebees down here) or any other insects (maybe ants) on dandelions. They do love our perennial basil, lavender and heliotrope - must like purple!
Can you get any radio online Helen?
Lez wrote: "Can you get any radio online Helen?"Yes I can, but it can buffer a bit sometimes & I'm guessing the broadband in this area (like everywhere else) is working overtime. I have some other music to catch up on now anyway. Hope the digital signal sorts itself out soon, it can be a bit iffy here sometimes (& not because of adverse weather).
Edit: Bizarrely, petrol driven chainsaws being used nearby always disrupts my digitalness. Can't work out why. V strange.
This afternoon I finally took the scissors to my fringe. I'll wait until it's dry to see how it looks. Fingers crossed. 😬
Serial wrote: "theDuke wrote: "Serial wrote: "Isabella wrote: "A weed is in the eye of the gardener..."Not many weeds in peoples gardens this year, this might just be the best year for well presented tended gar..."
Aye...have had a few bubblebess buzzing about, these last few days. Right outside our kitchen window, alongside a field (field is level with our window - house is built into cut out), there's a small hole in the ground about the the size of a 50p piece. I thought it might be a burrow for a sloworm or a small rodent...but mum tells me it's Bumblebee burrow. I didn't know some bees hibernated, so this one must have woken up from it's subterrean slumbers, and is now busy doing what bees do best!
Serial wrote: "Lez wrote: "Isn’t it strange? Must depend on location, what type of bees you have. I have lots of lavender always covered in bees, they love the roses too."I have lots of Poached Egg plants, the ..."
Aye, i've got chives too.....grows like nothing else in the sprigtime....bees absolutely love that plant....and so do i! Love a bit of chive on me potato salad! :)
Amazon exiles
Books mentioned in this topic
Time of the Child (other topics)This Is Happiness (other topics)
Time of the Child (other topics)
Mog's Christmas (other topics)
We're Going on a Bear Hunt (other topics)
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PS - sorry to hear you're having health issues. Are you somewhere really remote in Ireland or do you have reasonable access to heal..."
Looks like some subspecies of fake nettles.
No probs with healthcare here, small village, half an hour drive to the nearest hospital, 100 yards walk to pharmacy.